Workflow & Execution Processes:
How Do You Manage Approvals in Campaign Processes?
Strong approval workflows protect the brand without slowing go-to-market. Standardize roles, service levels, and tools so every campaign moves from brief to launch with clarity, speed, and accountability.
Manage campaign approvals with a tiered workflow: clear approval stages (brief, creative, QA, launch), a documented RACI (who owns, reviews, and signs off), and SLAs tied to campaign priority. Route everything through a single intake and work-management system, use standard checklists, and report on cycle times so you can continuously simplify and accelerate.
Principles for Effective Campaign Approvals
The Campaign Approval Playbook
A practical sequence to design, communicate, and enforce approvals across the campaign lifecycle.
Step-by-Step
- Define approval stages — Map standard checkpoints: intake and brief, concept, copy and creative, build and QA, and final launch sign-off.
- Set tiers by risk and impact — Create simple, moderate, and high-risk paths based on budget, audience size, compliance, and brand sensitivity.
- Create a RACI for each tier — Identify who approves creative, who approves offer and pricing, who reviews legal, and who owns the final go/no-go.
- Configure workflow in your tools — Implement routed approvals in your work-management, marketing automation, and CRM systems where possible.
- Standardize templates and checklists — Use shared briefs, QA lists, and brand checklists so reviewers focus on quality, not format.
- Track and improve turnaround — Measure cycle times, identify bottlenecks, and adjust SLAs, roles, or stages to protect speed and quality.
Approval Models: Choosing the Right Approach
| Model | Best For | Owner | Strengths | Risks | Turnaround Target |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Email-Based Approvals | Small teams, low-volume campaigns | Campaign manager coordinating approvers | Simple to start; no new tools | Hard to audit; easy to lose threads; unclear status | 3–5 business days |
| Ticket-Based Reviews | Growing teams with many stakeholders | Operations or project management | Centralized intake; basic tracking; visible queues | Limited creative proofing; manual routing between systems | 2–4 business days |
| Work-Management Workflow | Multi-channel, cross-functional campaigns | Marketing operations and project leads | Structured stages; asset-level feedback; dashboards | Requires adoption and training; process design effort | 1–3 business days |
| Integrated Platform Approvals | Mature teams with complex stacks | Marketing operations and technology | Approvals tied to email, ads, and journeys; strong audit trails | Integration complexity; governance needed for changes | Same day to 2 days |
Client Snapshot: From Unstructured Reviews to Predictable Approvals
A global B2B organization moved from ad hoc email approvals to a tiered workflow with defined SLAs and routed sign-offs. Average approval time dropped from eight days to three, launch delays decreased by 42%, and teams gained clear visibility into who needed to act next on each campaign.
Align your approval model with campaign strategy and content operations so governance supports speed instead of blocking it.
FAQ: Managing Campaign Approvals
Fast answers for leaders who want approvals that protect the brand without slowing execution.
Build Approvals That Match Your Pace
We help you design campaign workflows that protect the brand, satisfy stakeholders, and still move quickly from idea to launch.
Explore Marketing Guide Assess Revenue Readiness